COLUMBUS, OH – ms consultants, inc., an engineering, architectural, and planning firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, announced that Kari Mackenbach, CFM, BCES, has joined the firm as the Director of Sustainability. Ms. Mackenbach brings more than 20 years of sustainability experience to ms consultants, inc., with an expertise in green infrastructure applications. As Director of Sustainability, Ms. Mackenbach is responsible for leading all sustainable efforts and projects for clients throughout the United States.

“I believe in impactful change,” Ms. Mackenbach says, “sustainability is all about the proof and the results. It is important to promote a successful, cost-effective, sustainable alternative. I advocate balanced techniques that are proven to be successful, while also exploring innovation in the industry.”

Ms. Mackenbach has held various roles in the environmental field and is accredited as a Board Certified Environmental Scientist (BCES), a Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM), and an American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) professional. She received her Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from The Ohio State University, with an emphasis in watershed resources, policies, and planning. Ms. Mackenbach currently serves on the Water Management Association of Ohio (WMAO) Board as well as the National Stormwater Congress Board through the Water Environment Federation (WEF). Additionally, she has been the key note speaker at various professional and technical conferences across the Country. Topics include green infrastructure citing case studies and how to evaluate the cost/benefit of municipal green infrastructure program as well as experience in operation and maintenance successes.

Ms. Mackenbach also extends her expertise to the surrounding communities, assisting various organizations with planning, obtaining funding, and developing rain gardens. Some of her efforts include rain garden implementations at Stratford Ecological Center in Delaware County, Ohio, Dublin City Schools in Dublin, Ohio, and her children’s school in Upper Arlington, Ohio.

According to Ms. Mackenbach, the future of sustainable initiatives are continually growing stronger for this region of the country, as more agencies are exploring sustainable options as viable alternatives. “Right now, we still have to ask if sustainable is the best possible solution,” she says, “but moving towards the future, sustainability is proving to be the most cost-effective and no-brainer answer. When you take into account the cost savings, the benefits to the environment, and community impact, everyone benefits from using effective sustainable alternatives–now and for the future generations.”

About ms consultants, inc.

ms is a multidiscipline engineering, architecture, and planning firm for the transportation, environmental, architecture, commercial, sustainability, railroad, and construction industries. Founded in 1963, ms is now in its second generation of family ownership. Today, the firm has nearly 400 employees among nine offices in Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. ms consistently ranks as one of the “Top 500 Design Firms” by Engineering News-Record and was recently named a “Top 300 Architectural Firm” by Architectural Record.